MAORI SUPERSTITIONS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XV, Issue 738, 22 September 1866, Page 4

MAORI SUPERSTITIONS.

The Timaru Herald, of the Ist instant, gives the following account of the revival of certain superstitions practices among the Maoris in the southern part of tho Province :—: — It appears that some months ago a Maori named Piripi, or Philip, came from the Northern Island, on a self-constituted mission, for the extinction of tapv,. Before giving an account of hia doings, it may he necessary to explain what is meant by twpu. Tapu was a system invented by the chiefs to preserve their dignity and property in a community vrhere all freemen were considered equal, and all property held in common. Every Maori believed himself possessed by one or more demons, but oaly a few knew the charms and spells by which to control these familiar spirits, a knowledge they took care to keep secret from al] bat their ■own families, and thereby insured to them an influence and position they could not otherwise have maintained. Every part of a chiefs body was sacred, but'his head the most so, being the residence of his demons. Everything that touched a chiefs body became iapu, aud any person who violated its sacredness died immediately, unless he possessed charms more potent than thoso of the rangallra whose tapv, he had "violated. Tapu could only be removed from person or place by one whose demons were superior in number and power to those whose influence he wished -to destroy. To destroy the iapii, it was necessary to defile the person or place with coolcud food, which all the demons held in abomination. Before the northern Maoris were baptised, they broke off their connection with familiar spirits, by allowing cooked food to be eaten oat of baskets placed on their heads. Tho natives in this island neglected to do tins, and now attribute the mortality amongst them to tho malice of the demons who still possess them, and render them tapn, in spite of Themselves. They believe that many have lost their lives from using other people's caps and pipes, and from passing by old rained houses, or over old burying grounds, or places where divining fives were lighted. Piripi, after visiting Otago and Sonfchland, was invited by Horomona Pohio to remove the iapu from Arowheuua. On his arrival, he called the entire Maori population of the place together, and after a careful inspection, declared that he could see tho demons inside Tamaiharoa and several others. With the . unanimous consent of all present, he began the process of expelling these said spirits, and removing the tvpv, from the neighborhood. First, he visited all the tapu places, taking a stick from one, aud a tuft of grass from another ; from the lagoon in front of Mr. Woollcombe's — a favorite haunt of demons, who had caused fee death oT many an unsuspecting passer by— he took some water. With these materials ho cooked food, which all the Maoris partook of, without distinction of age or sex. Being obliged to leave \ -suddenly, Piripi deputed Tamaiharoa to complete the emancipation of his tribe from the power of their familiar spirits. After conning over his j instructions for some weeks, tho deputy exorcist at last summoned the people before him. Having ranged them in a circle, he ordered Rawiri to cut the nails and a lock of the : hair off every one present, and to place them in a plate held for the purpose by Horomona Pohio. Each person's hand was then pricked, and his or her nail parings, -together with the lock of hair, smeared wilh blood. The contents of the plate were then j thrown into a boiler fall of tea, the contents of ■which were afterwards served round, ThisTidicnlous ceremony was -supposed to have the effect of rendering the evil spirits utterly powerless for the future, and all who joined in it are ■congratulating themselves on the removal of one great cause of mortality amongst them.